Good Days

Good things have been happening.


In all, three people replied to the messages that I sent out last week. The fourth, I'm pretty sure, doesn't check her facebook that much. But I never had any arguments/issues with her anyway, when we parted almost seven years ago. She's just an old friend that I'd lost touch with, and I'm sure that she'll contact me someday. 


The fifth, I think, may be a case where we won't reconcile. But that's her call, and I'm actually okay with it. Like I said in my last post, I'm glad that I made the effort. I'm a bit sorry about not finding common ground with her after all, but it's not the end of the world. 


Wise words to keep in mind: You can't please everyone.


I'm feeling happier these days.


And I got my unconditional offer from Dundee! I had been worried about it, honestly, but I thought that I should just give it time instead of overreacting. I don't think I'm becoming mellow, exactly. More like I'm calming down. So I waited, and finally got it yesterday. Well, yesterday being Friday. It's past 1:00 a.m Sunday morning right now.


Bruno's at the vet's. Nothing serious, but we thought we'd get him checked up, and the vet wanted to keep him overnight. She picked him up in the evening, and we'll be getting him back in the morning. It's so weird, how used to his presence we are. Mum poked her head in, barely two hours after the vet's driver had come and taken him, asking if we'd seen the dog, and that he's not in his bed. When I reminded her, she kind of got this sad look on her face and went, "Oh."


And he's turning 6 on the 21st! My big baby has grown up so much. Well, physically, anyway. He's still a puppy in mind, with the way he still lunges for his squeaky toys. It's completely adorable. Several times a week I threaten to eat him because he's acting too cute (sarcasm, but he doesn't know that), and he should act more German-Shepherd-y. Not that he listens. He kind of just runs off with the toy, and then turns back to make sure that I'm chasing.


Which I usually am. 


I recently discovered The Hunger Games (don't worry. If you haven't read it, there won't be spoilers in this post). Recently meaning I discovered the books at the beginning of March, and became an avid fan immediately. I wish I'd known about the books sooner, if only because it's that good, but in a way I'm a bit relieved that I discovered it mere weeks before the movie's release...thousands of other fans had been waiting for so much longer. Me, who entered the scene so late in the game, still found the wait interminable, so I can hardly imagine what the older fans had to go through.


I'll recommend the books and movie(s) to anyone, though. Honestly, I was genuinely so very pleased with how the movie had been done. It covered all the main points, and did it so brilliantly. In the books, we've got the benefit of the protagonist narrating everything, which isn't there in the movie. Regardless, the directors/screenwriters have done an excellent job of conveying everything they needed to without words. Again, I cannot stress enough how very impressed I was.


One of the people that I subscribe to on Youtube recommended another book for Hunger Games fans. I took his word for it and went out and bought the entire series, called The Uglies. I've just finished the first book, and I'm quite happy with it. The book follows a girl called Tally, a 15-year-old who will soon be turning 16. And on the day you turn 16, you get an operation (government-sanctioned, completely free) that turns you from an "ugly" into a "pretty". Only things don't exactly go the way they're supposed to, and...well. Read the book. It's good, so far. A bit slow at first (but then, so was THG), but it really starts picking up as you start reading, and you kind of crash to a stop at the edge of a cliff when you get to the end.

THIS is why I buy series all at once. Because I hate not being able to pick up the next book immediately.


Ja ne.

I'm Back

I've been gone for a while now, I know.


I couldn't bring myself back here. I did think about it, a couple of times, but ultimately decided against it because not much good was going on, and I didn't want to be depressing on my blog. Today, I kind of kicked myself back into it. Figured I was being depressing by acting depressed about the blog in the first place.


Let's see.


A few weeks ago (2 weeks now, I think), I met with the international officer for the uni. He'd been doing a tour thing of the Middle East. Very nice guy, name of Fahd Ali Asif. To meet him, I had to go through Dundee's representative here in Dubai, which is a firm called IQ Education Consultants. Can I just say, I am EXTREMELY glad that I managed to make this meeting?


I'd been nervous about the whole thing, of course, thinking that it was some sort of informal interview. Might be a bit of a stretch, but I assumed that the debacle of last year led the uni to thinking me mad and sent someone to ensure that they weren't taking on a complete nutter. Wasn't the case, of course, but really, I wasn't in a state of mind that let me think very rationally.


Mum came with me. While in the cab, she asked if she might come in as well, and I expressly forbade it. I didn't want him thinking I needed my mother around me to handle the grown-up talks, of all things. She huffed and settled back into her seat, but acquiesced.


When we reached, I was introduced to a woman called Divya, who was a very nice lady that got me to sign something stating I'd met with Mr. Asif. She also handed me a prospectus for the uni, which was nice. I love those kinds of things; it makes everything seem so much more real.


When she invited me into the room where Mr. Asif was (I had to wait for about a half hour, but I wasn't bored, not with my new prospectus!), I got to my feet and moved toward the door. From behind, I heard her voice say, "Ma'am, you can go in too, if you'd like."


I whipped around as fast as I could, already halfway through protesting, when my mother breezed past me in an elegant sort of fast trot and straight into the room. I have a feeling she was waiting to be asked. Because if that was merely the speed of her reaction, then it is completely unfair that I was not blessed with an equally impressive reaction time. "THINK FAST!" doesn't work on me, and never has. Whatever you throw will hit me, and I will cry about the unfairness of it all.


But I'm going off-topic.


Mum was already shaking hands with Mr. Asif when I entered the room, so I (sighed inwardly and) introduced myself before taking a seat next to her. It was all very pleasant, and not at all interview-like. He was there to answer MY questions, it turned out. Thankfully, that scenario had also occurred to me in my nightmares about this whole meeting, so I had a few questions I could pull out of the back of my mind. Divya sat in as well, and answered a couple of questions I had about the visa part of it all.


Interview over, shake hands again, leave room in an excellent mood (ignoring Mum at this point). I was stopped leaving, though. This is the part where my extreme gratitude to the world comes in.


Divya and a co-worker explained to me that, since I was meeting with a university rep of a uni that they were representing, they could also take on my case completely free. If I'd applied through them to a university that they were not affiliated with, there would have been a fee. Or at least, that's what I'd gathered.


When they told me that this also meant that they would be handling my visa application as well (with a track record of 100% visa-application success), I genuinely felt this massive weight lifted from my shoulders. Having to do it alone last year was a bummer, and them offering to do the very thing I was dreading doing all over again...well. I am relieved.


They also handle my relations with the university, in the sense that I ask them the questions, and they ask the university and then get back to me. Not nice of me, but that's kind of a relief as well, in the sense that I felt I was being a massively royal pain because of the number of e-mails I sent to the university direct. They were always nice enough and prompt with their replies, but that didn't stop me from feeling like I was asking too many questions that should be common sense. So having something akin to a liaison officer is just what I needed.


Divya is handling my case now. She's awesome. I'm starting to expect replies to my e-mails within the hour; she's that prompt.


Anyway.


Outside of that...we went fishing last week. My first time ever. SO fun. I fully intend to go again.


But this post is long enough, so I'll talk about that later.


Ja ne.

Still Not Quite There

Argh, this is just plain frustrating.

I was supposed to leave for Dundee yesterday. The original plan was the 20th of this month, but things got done earlier than we'd planned. We'd talked to the people at the UK Border Agency, and they'd agreed to send my visa to me in two days, so we planned to leave Friday, which was the 16th. 

But no. No visa.

So I'm still stuck here.

One good thing is that I get to see a couple of people I'd thought I wouldn't be able to. I'm meeting them for lunch later. 

But that's about the only upside.

Believing that I was leaving Friday, I'd packed everything and was ready to leave, see? So now, I have very little clothes lying about, and I can't be bothered opening up the suitcase and pulling out everything that I spent hours packing. I keep throwing everything in the wash and hoping to find some hidden miracle in my closet, but I have the feeling that it won't work out that way.

And I'm so excited for uni, late though I am. New friends, new city, new life. I love it here too, but you know, it's university! The time of our lives! Although I'm late. Argh, I can't get that little fact out of my head.

Damn it.

I bought most of my textbooks the other day. Just the one missing, now. I figured I'd try and get some reading done, so hopefully I won't be that behind everyone else. The books look a bit daunting, but I'll do it. I know that they said it would be easy to catch up and all, but still. Might as well give myself an advantage.

Oh, off topic, I watched Coach Carter yesterday! I hadn't watched it before, even though most of my family's given it glowing reviews. I thought, from the name, that it was a guy movie about baseball or something. But I did watch it yesterday, and it's awesome! Totally not just a guy movie. And it's basketball, not baseball. Which is kind of a relief, because I don't understand how baseball works. I think it's like rounders, but I'm not sure. In this household, it's just cricket and football. And I only ever watch the world cups of either, because that's the only thing interesting enough for me to watch.

Speaking of which, I hope it won't be too late to sign up for any of the sports clubs once I get there. I really wanted to join Archery, and maybe Skiing and Snowboarding? Because archery is just plain cool, and I've never skied or snowboarded, and I want to learn. But I'll wait until I get my schedule before I go around joining anything. I heard that the freshman year is supposed to be super hectic, right after transitioning from high school.

And, well, I'd better get ready for that lunch now.

Ja. 

Cakes Rolling Downhill

Right, so I decided that, since I'm moving to the university in around two weeks, I'd best start preparing.


Well, yes, I've been preparing for months now. But I mean preparing, proper.


Last night, at around three in the morning, it hit me that I'm not quite ready. I've got most of the clothes now - I think I still need to buy a couple of jackets. Apparently, 18 degrees Celsius is considered warm there. In Dubai, we're surviving at temperatures of over 50 degrees. Warm, here, is like 35 degrees, I guess? I don't know, I just know that we complain it's hot when the weather escalates past 45 degrees. One thing I do know, however, is that 18 degrees is not warm. It's freaking cold. 

Yeah, I need more jackets.


Anyway, as I was saying, I'm not ready. I still needed to buy knick-knacks such as earplugs and all. So, I pulled out a sheet of paper and wrote down a to-do list.


I also had a random craving for Cinnabon. Realizing that this was the perfect opportunity to try and learn to cook, I looked up the recipe for Cinnabon cinnamon rolls, and added the ingredients of that to the to-do list for the next day.


When I woke up at my usual hour of 3 in the afternoon, I got dressed and drove to Yolany's place. My brother was playing video games there, so I picked him up and headed to Geant, which is like a massive Tesco or Walmart or whatever at the local mall. 


We picked up the ingredients, picked up some other stuff (thumb tacks, a note pad, couple of toiletries), picked up my brother's friends (they wanted to play basketball at the court near our house), and headed home.


Now, I wanted to make cinnamon rolls. That was the plan. I made the frosting first, and stuck that in the fridge. It tasted pretty good - the same as the Cinnabon rolls', I should think. Then I started on the actual rolls.


Complete chaos.


I tried to get organized, I really did. But before long, there was flour all over the table, sugar sprinkled among that, and the dough stuck to my fingers and would not come off. I do not know how people are supposed to bake that stuff, when half of it goes down the drain in an attempt to have reasonably dough-free hands. 


Dad came in right as I was trying to knead the stupid dough, and had this weird smirk on his face that kind of said, my daughter is a really lousy cook. And it's funny.


I told him it was tougher than it looked, and he nodded sympathetically, but really, I know he was laughing on the inside.


Anyway, halfway through I realized that I wouldn't be able to roll the dough up like the recipe called for. I added half a cup more flour than asked even, because it wasn't solid enough to roll up. It was too squishy, and stuck to my fingers way too much. 


So I decided that, instead of making cinnamon rolls, I was baking a cinnamon cake. 


I altered the rest of the recipe, according to how I thought the cake should turn out. I poured half of the batter/dough thing into a cake pan, melted some butter and spread it over that, added the cinnamon and brown sugar, and then poured the rest of the batter over that. I figured that that ought to work.


It did. *epic grin here*


So even though I couldn't make proper cinnamon rolls, the cinnamon cake turn out delicious. Tasted exactly like a Cinnabon roll, but cake form. I'd even added less cinnamon than was listed, since Dad mentioned at the table that he didn't like Cinnabon that much. 


The cake:

Cinnamon Cake!

The Cinnamon Cake and its Awesome Patissiere. 

I'm in my PJ's in the picture, because the cake finished baking at like 10 pm. 


Mum and I were tempted to eat more than the piece we cut, but we decided to let the cake cool a bit and share it around in the morning. I figure I'll take some of it to Yolany's. Yomal, her younger brother, looked super eager when I mentioned my Cinnabon plans to him earlier today.


So it looks like I can bake when I get to uni. I'm not sure if I'm going to - baking this cake was a MAJOR hassle. Well, alright, not really. I just really didn't like the stupid, sticky dough. Or batter. Isn't it called batter, for cakes? Can you call it dough? The recipe called it dough, but that was meant for rolls. Maybe the term changes depending on what you're baking, even though it's the same ingredients.


Whatever.


In other news, my flatmates have met each other and are enjoying Freshers'. It sounds loads fun. I've seen pictures and all that they've put up, and the flat looks pretty nice. I'll put my own pictures up here once I get there.


For now, though:


Ja ne.

Rant A Bit, Cope A Bit

Well, that last post was a bit...um. Dramatic.


Sorry about that.


Anyway, people have started moving into Heathfield now. That's my new residence hall, at the university. I still haven't left to Scotland, and probably won't be able to for another two or three weeks. Visa issues. 


Yeah, I'm missing freshers' week. Which I was devastated by, and cried about. I ranted at the unfairness of it all for ages. But I've kind of adjusted to the news, now. My flatmates seem great (I've met four of the five via facebook), and have assured me that they'll post pictures and keep me updated with what's happening.


I also happen to be missing a week of my course. Which is super awful, even worse than missing freshers', really. Because, see, I apparently need to maintain 'satisfactory' progress on the architecture course to keep my scholarship. And missing the first week, when they introduce you to everything, is going to keep me at a disadvantage.


Ah, well, I'm sure I'll catch up. I hear that the very first class is at the beach. Again, disappointed to be missing that. But there are two architecture undergrads across the hall from me, in the next flat. I'll ask them for help, too. Hopefully, it'll all turn out okay.


The university has been super helpful about it all. I was a bit surprised, actually. Considering the experience I have with Cambridge (the high school, not university, duh), where everything seems to be done late, it was a refreshing change. I think I'm really, really going to enjoy myself at Dundee.


In other news, dad bought me a little camera the other day. I have that massive canon one that he's given me too, but I wanted a normal looking one, because I can hardly take the big one with me everywhere, can I? This one's a little black one, good specs. There was a prettier dark bluish-purple one in the store that I wanted, but Dad pointed out that I would be the only one to see the camera, while others would see the quality of the pictures. Which is true. And the black one was better in that case. And it looks rather sweet. A bit delicate, too. I'm thinking of getting one of those screen protectors that they sell for the Nintendo DS.


Oh, speaking of which, I haven't played Pokemon in AGES. MONTHS. Haha, I should get back to doing that. I made such a big fuss about the fifth generation and all, and now look at me. Poor DS is collecting dust, sitting in a dark corner. 


And speaking of Pokemon, just drifting off topic here - I've been watching anime to pass the time. I mean, I should be in uni by now, but I'm not. So I downloaded like 90-something episodes of this anime called Fairy Tail, and WOAH. Love. It. To. Bits.


I'm such a kid.


Gah, I bet this is all just a coping mechanism for my lack of uni life right now. Yeesh.


I'm off.

It Actually Happened.

Summer holidays are finally drawing to a close.


The results of the exams were released two days ago, at 3 a.m. on the 11th. I was a mess the night before; I had a serious case of the shivers, and for hours I felt like I was about to throw up. While the rest of the family dozed, I stayed up until about midnight before deciding that I really should hit the hay. 


Not that I got much sleep, in the end.


I'd set my phone to wake me up at three, and jolted awake when it did. I turned on my computer and headed straight for the results website, simultaneously looking forwards to and dreading what I would see. You know what happened?


The damned website wouldn't load.


It was beyond frustrating. Due to the number of people, all over the world, currently logging into their respective accounts to check their results, I couldn't get through. I checked facebook though, and saw that Bhavesh had gotten his after a lot of refreshing. I hadn't even thought of that. 


So I set about refreshing the page like a mad woman, praying I got through, and then thinking again and praying I didn't. At any rate, after about a half hour of that I managed to get in. 


And I got the grades. *epic grin here*


I squealed and shrieked and leaped out of bed to relay the news to the rest of my family. Mum was already up, preparing for Suhr (we're fasting), so she started jumping up and down in joy as well. Dad was still in bed, so when I went running in there he was quite groggy. Nevertheless, he woke up enough to congratulate me before he burrowed back into the blankets. I didn't bother telling Aehshaan until he had gotten up proper for Suhr - he gets grumpy beyond belief if you disturb his sleep. 


Since I got the grades, it means that I keep my scholarship to the University of Dundee. It means that I'm going to Scotland! I have never been so excited in my life. Or maybe I have, but people tend to believe that a singular point in the present is when they're feeling the most of any extreme emotion, I think.


So now I'm shopping. College shopping. This, I feel, is a vital part of the college experience. Especially if you're a girl. 


I have to get through the boring and tedious stuff, such as filling out visa application forms and buying earplugs and hangers and sheets.


And then there's the excellent stuff that I am enjoying immensely, which is shopping for clothes and shoes and that sort of thing. Better yet is coming home and trying them on with the stuff I already have, and then strutting around the house like a peacock on booze. It's absolutely brilliant. AND I have a legitimate excuse to buy all these new clothes now. Plus I get to wear a trench coat, since Dundee has snow, and I've wanted to wear a trench coat since I saw this chick in France wearing one and looking bloody fantastic.


I think the downside that I'm feeling right now is that I'm only allowed to carry 30 kilos on the plane with me. I've no idea how I'm going to fit everything I need into 30 kilos. Which is why I'm hoping that my parents' visa applications come through, because I can take up their luggage as well. It's not like they'll be staying very long.


And Fresher's Week! How I'm looking forward to Fresher's Week!

I don't know half the people they've shown in the video, but it looks just epic anyway!


And then there's the fact that I'm about to start my University life. Which is just about amazing in itself.


So.


Congratulations to me, for doing much, much better than I ever expected. And congratulations to all of you who got into your respective universities. I love you, and you've done all of us proud. *proud-parent sort of grin* We always knew you could do it.


To reiterate, the summer holidays are finally drawing to a close. But our lives? Well.


They're only just beginning.

Do Bow, Dear Sir.

Yesterday, while I was meant to be studying for my Biology/Maths exams, I felt like I needed to do something productive. Yes, yes, studying is productive, I suppose.


It is also tearfully dull.


So. I decided to train Bruno to do something, since I haven't trained him past any of his usual tricks. He can sit, go down, heel, come, and more recently, sleep and bow.


I taught him Sleep about a month ago, when I had another of these I'm-so-bored fits. Yesterday, I taught him how to bow. It took me a while, but I maintain that he is the smartest dog in the world - he got what I was trying to teach him pretty quickly, really. I'm quite proud that he remembered the command today as well. I think eventually, I'll turn it into a whole martial-arts sequence. Make him bow, and then go into combat. That sounds cool, no?


The video I've put up was taken today - this morning, in fact. You can see for yourself how well he's learnt. There were a few hiccups, of course, and I had to repeat a couple of commands - but do bear in mind that he is, in addition to being intelligent, hopelessly stubborn. Stubborn enough that you have to literally drag him out of a room via his rear legs if he decides he's too lazy to stand up and move himself.


And. Mum says to please ignore the laundry in the back. I think it proves we're a normal household, but apparently not. *shrugs* Up to you.

Enjoy.

In other news, Physics went alright. You know how you think you did pretty well, and then people start talking about it and you're like, "uh, shit. I'm failing"?


Yeah, well. My advice? People. Stop, for the love of all things ice-cream-related, talking about the exams. The paper's over. There's no need to make the rest of us feel so shitty.


Recently, I wrapped up some loose ends with some old friends. We'd been in an argument in which I was in the wrong. I wrote a massive apology though, sent it, and all seems to be well. I'm glad. I'd really prefer not having any enemies or such when I leave for Uni. Fresh start and all that.


Anyway. Biology beckons.


Ta.

Pre-Grad Stress

The High School Era

It's an odd topic to start a new blog with, actually. The fact that I'm graduating High School today, I mean. It's like I'm beginning something with an ending. But, if you look at it the way I do, I'm basically starting the blog where I'm starting out a whole new chapter in my life. I'm saying goodbye to the High School Era. So it's not odd, not really.


You're odd. *challenging brow-lift*


Anyway.


Every time I think about this evening, I get nervous. I should be feeling all delirious and drunk with happiness and all that, that I'm finally done with 13 years of schooling. But then I think about all the things that could possibly go wrong; My dress, being the length it is, is one of them. I am likely to trip and die.


Or my shoes. I love them, I think they're gorgeous, and they go brilliant with the aforementioned dress. But they are also high enough to put me on level with the Burj Khalifa  (Note: Exaggeration), and sharp enough that if I step on someone else's foot, the poor girl will probably have to bleed to death (Note: Fact). And wouldn't that just put a damper on things.


Let's not forget that I have to get my hair done later today; in about 2 hours, actually. And then I have to wear that stupid graduation hat, which will ruin my hair, I know.


And then, at the graduation ceremony, I have to walk across the stage, after climbing up its steps first. And then climb back down. In my dress. With the shoes. And the stupid "Graduation Robe" they gave us that makes everyone look like freaking hippos. And that stupid, stupid hat.


I'm doomed.


I'm just complaining though. I know I'll have to be careful, but I'm not the only one. I'm sure a lot of people feel the same way. But, if anyone trips, I just pray to God it's not me. Or maybe I should be praying that nobody trips?


Bah. To Hell with it. Let them all trip, for all I care.

Except me. *grin*


No, but seriously. If all goes well, we'll be done by 7:30 tonight. And then the limo's picking us up (by us, I mean myself and a bunch of friends) from school, and we're off to the after-party at Raffles. 


I hope I spelled that right. I've been confused lately, as to whether it's Raffles or Ruffles Hotel. But Ruffles is a stupid name for a hotel shaped like a pyramid, don't you think? So I'm going to go with Raffles.


Anyway, back to topic. I really don't like our graduation robes. We spent 70 bucks for that shit. My mum just finished ironing my robe, and she was furious with the quality. She told me to point out the person responsible for designing that craptastic stuff, but I warned her to drop it. The last thing I need is to make a scene. Even though the robes do suck.


On the other hand, though, I'm also sure that they didn't mean to give us terrible robes for our graduation. I mean, they have to wear it too, right? If anything, I feel sorry for them. I'm sure people must have given them hell about it. Poor things. They did their best. And the robes aren't so terrible when everyone's in it. The suckiness kind of pales when we're one big massive blob of people bunched together.


Anyway, the reason I'm doing this blog thing is to give my friends a way to keep in touch with what's going on in my life, outside of facebook. I'll try and update it on a fairly regular basis, and I really do hope I remember to. Plus Sahani (Note: Super-Cool Cousin) has been bugging me about this, that lovable creature. And Nikita (Note: Best Friend) has been asking for something like this, although I don't think she had a blog in mind.


And I think it might be interesting for any future University friends of mine to read. Not that I'm vain enough to believe that they will actually read this in an effort to know me better, but they might find it somewhat intriguing, right? To those of you reading this in the future, Hi! Glad to meet you. To my current friends, well. You know. Sup. *tips hat*


Anyway, Mum's calling. I think I have to get my hair done now. I shall (hopefully) update later. 


Ta for now.